Breakdown of Stupet såg för djupt ut för att hoppa över.
att
to
för
for, to
djup
deep
hoppa
to jump
över
over / past (in clock times)
se ut
to look, to appear
stupet
the precipice
Questions & Answers about Stupet såg för djupt ut för att hoppa över.
Doesn't för att usually mean 'in order to'? Why does it translate to 'to jump over' here?
You are right that för att normally means 'in order to'. However, when it follows för + an adjective (like för djupt), it creates a specific pattern meaning 'too [adjective] to [do something]'. So för djupt ... för att hoppa över means 'too deep to jump over'.
Why is för djupt wedged between såg and ut?
The verb in this sentence is the phrasal verb se ut, which means 'to look' or 'to appear'. In Swedish, when you describe how something looks, the adjective usually goes right between the verb (såg) and the particle (ut). That is why we say såg för djupt ut instead of putting the adjective at the end.
Why does the adjective djup (deep) have a -t at the end here?
Adjectives must agree with the noun they describe. Because it is describing stupet (the precipice), which is an ett-word (ett stup), the adjective takes the neuter -t ending to become djupt.
Does hoppa över always mean physically jumping over something?
Not always! While it is used literally in this sentence, hoppa över is also very commonly used figuratively to mean 'to skip' something, such as skipping a meal (hoppa över lunchen) or skipping a chapter in a book.
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